Gene Bowman, ND seeks funding for a mentored patient-oriented research career development award to obtain the training necessary to design and implement scientifically rigorous research. Dr. Bowman's goal is to become an independent clinician-scientist with concentration in nutrition, aging and memory. The environment is an academic medical center with a NIA funded Alzheimer's center, NIH funded Center for Clinical and Translational Research and a NIH funded Human Investigation Program providing infrastructure for both training and for conduct of research. The training plan includes: 1) obtaining a masters degree in clinical research, 2) continuing training in the diagnosis and management of neurodegenerative illnesses, and 3) conducting a study of nutritional risk factors in Non-Impaired Elderly, Mild Cognitive Impairment, and mild Alzheimer's disease in order to build a foundation for individualized nutritional intervention in the prevention or slowing the progression of neurodegenerative disease. The specific aims of the proposed research are 1) Develop a nutrient biomarker profile from subjects enrolled for longitudinal study in the NIA Aging and Alzheimer's Center at OHSU (Non-Impaired Elderly, Mild Cognitive Impairment and mild Alzheimer's disease), 2) Characterize the variability of the nutrient biomarker profile over 24 months in the three cohorts, 3) Examine the relationship between the nutrient biomarker profile and change in clinical parameters over 24 months in the three cohorts. This project will utilize well characterized existing cohorts, adding nutrient assessments to the existing battery of clinical outcome measures. The nutrient parameters to be studied include homocysteine and its determinants, antioxidants and F2 Isoprostanes as a marker of oxidative stress, the omega 3 fatty acids docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid, and cholesterol. This training will provide a platform for Dr. Bowman's long-term goal of developing an individualized nutritional treatment to prevent or at least slow the rate of decline in Alzheimer's disease. Since there are few sound recommendations for nutritional intervention to prevent or treat Alzheimer's disease, and since the affected and at-risk US population continues to grow dramatically, this research has the potential for substantial public health impact.